Apparatus for spraying and drying operations



Jan. 31, 1956 c. D. SMITH ET AL APPARATUS FOR SPRAYING AND DRYING OPERATIONS 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec. 50, 1952 FIG.

INVENTOPS CL 0 YD D. 5M1 TH Poafkr L NA TTHEWS w gwwpgt H TTOR/VEY- Jan. 31, 1956 c. D. SMITH ETAL 2,

APPARATUS FOR SPRAYING AND DRYING OPERATIONS Filed Dec. 30, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 6 r 27 2f I \15 us 117 f! lol I \10/ 27/ 13 l I I I3! i I I I /32 L J /e 13: L/ H .3! I06 I07 3 llz I14 32 H5 INVENTOIZS C LOYD 1). SMITH Po BERT L. MATTHEW Jan. 31, 1956 c. D. SMITH ET AL APPARATUS FOR SPRAYING AND DRYING OPERATIONS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 50, 1952 a s w w M .o 4 w Emm m "M H d mh mT m r2 5? 2 4 C o M PB h/ m lllllll'llll'll Jan. 31, 1956 c. D. SMITH ET AL 2,732,701

APPARATUS FOR SPRAYING AND DRYING OPERATIONS Filed Dec. 50, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 12

INVENTORS C'Loyo D. SMITH P052127 L. MAT-rue w:

United States Patent/O APPARATUS FOR SPRAYING DRYING OPERATIONS Cloyd D. Smith and Robert L. Matthews, West Los Angeles, Calif., assignors to Henry Stroh, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application December 30, 1952, Serial No. 328,712

Claims. (CI, 68-20) This invention relates to an apparatus for subjecting articles to a series of processing steps including a spraying operation followed by a drying operation. The apparatus of the invention was designed specifically for the dry cleaning of garments, and a specific object of the invention is to provide a dry cleaning apparatus suitable for self service use by customers. The invention is also applicable to other processes, e. g., spray painting, disinfecting etc.

Such an apparatus is desirably entirely automatic and one of the objects of the invention is to provide an apparatus that is adapted to operate automatically in response to push-button or coin triggered control by a customer, receiving one or more articles into the apparatus, spraying it (e. g. cleaning it) drying it, and performing other operations such as disinfecting, deodorizing and then delivering it back tothe customer. A more specific object is to provide such an apparatus that is adapted to aiford maximum convenience to the customer. In this respect the invention contemplates an apparatus adapted to accept an article and to return the article to a customer at a point closely adjacent the point where the article entered the apparatus.

' A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus adapted to carry an article in an intermittently continuing movement through successive stations where the article is respectively sprayed; then partially dried by air; then further dried by radiant heating; then further dried and deodorized by continuing exposure to a moving body of air; then disinfected by being subjected to ultra violet radiation; and finally discharged from the machine; all the while carried on an endless conveyor in a circular horizontal path through the apparatus. To this end; the apparatus has a housing generally in the form of an annular horizontal duct surroundinga vertical axis, and includes almeans for conveyinga'series of hangers in a horizontal circular path through said annularhousingf while subjecting the articles to the operations named above, at various-stations in the housing. The invention also provides for separating the annular duct into a series of chambers, in one of which the spraying operation is performed, in another of which the drying operations are performed, and in another of which a further operation is performed.

A further object is to provide rneans for moving the conveying mechanism in an intermittent motion such that the garments are held stationary for appreciable intervals. of time at the respective processing stations.

A further object of the invention is to provide such an apparatus having means associated with the garment conveying means for automatically opening, in succession, a

series of SWinging doors which function to .divide the annular housing into a series of chambers as above stated.

Another object is to provide a .novel mechanism for operating a series of spray heads in a manner to direct a series of fine needle sprays against every portion of the surface of a garment located at the spraying station. A further object is to provide such an apparatus having means for subjecting a garment to air currents applied to the inside of the garment and passing through the garment'to carry away the vestiges of the cleaning fluid absorbed therein. Such air jet mechanism may be employed in cooperation with other air moving means for creating a circulating body of air surrounding the garment in the drying chambe Another object is to provide such an apparatus having means for automatically loading the apparatus by transferring, in succession, a series of hangers from a loading rack onto the conveyor mechanism of the apparatus.

A further object is to provide such an apparatus having means for automatically unloading the hangers, with the garments supported thereon, by transferring them from the conveying mechanism to a receiving rack at the discharge end of the apparatus.

Another object is to provide such an apparatus, which is of relatively simple and compact construction, yet highly efiicient and dependable in operation.

Other objects will become apparent in the ensuing specifications and appended drawings in which:

General description of invention Fig. 1 is a plan view of the apparatus of my invention with a portion of the top of the housing removed in order to better illustrate the conveyor and the loading and unloading mechanisms;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same taken in a horizontal plane just below the ceiling of the apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the apparatus, partially in vertical radial section as indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a radial vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 illustrating one of the hangers and its air jet mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional .view, taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4 illustrating the coupling of a hanger to a conveyor tube;

Fig. 7 is a detail radial vertical sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal plan sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a detail vertical sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 10 is a detail vertical sectional view taken on the line 10-10 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 11 is a detail vertical sectional view taken on the line 11-11 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 12 is a detail horizontal sectional view taken on the line 12-12 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 13-13. of Fig. 1

Fig. 14 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 14-14 of Fig. 13; and

Fig. 15 is .a detail .sectional 15-15 of Fig. l.

As an example of one form in which the invention may be embodied, I have shown in the drawings a self service dry cleaning mechanism which includes in general the following units:

A housing A which provides an annular duct 11 and a central chamber 12 for housing the operating mechamsm;

A star shaped rotating conveyor B embodying a central hub 13 and a series of tubular arms 14 the outer ends of which are adapted to support a series of z Hanger units C (Fig. 5) each having a cross head 15 for supporting one or more garments and a series of perforated air jet tubes 16 depending therefrom;

A loading unit D communicating with the entrance of view taken on the line the duct 11, the unit D having means for automatically transferring, one at a time, a series of hanger units C from a rack to the conveyor B;

A discharge and receiving unit E, communicating with the delivery end of duct 11; the unit E having means for automatically unloading the hangers, one by one, from the conveyor unit B and receiving them on a supporting rack;

A solvent spraying unit disposed within a spray chamber F, within the duct 11, said spraying unit having means for reciprocating a pair of spray heads vertically between the top and the bottom of the garment while directing horizontal jets of cleaning fluid against the garment, whereby the entire area of the garment is gradually subjected to a strong blast of cleaning fiuidwhich completely penetrates the garment and removes all dirt, grease etc., therefrom;

Means defining an entry vestibule G in advance of the spraying chamber F, for sealing off the spray chamber from the external atmosphere to prevent any fumes escaping from the housing A;

Drying mechanism comprising infra-red heat radiating units disposed at an initial drying station within duct 11, indicated by the letter H;

Air circulating means relatively long open chamber J, in which the initial drying station H is located at the beginning portion thereof;

Ultra-violet radiation means, located at a disinfecting station defined within a chamber K adjacent the discharge end of the duct 11.

Detailed descriptin.--Casing A Casing A is generally in the form of a covered cylindrical split ring, with its axis vertical, a gap 18 in its forward side providing the duct 11 with an inlet 19, and an outlet 20. Such cylindrical ring is defined between outer and inner cylindrical walls 21 and 22 having radially spaced vertical ends defining the inlet 19 and the outlet 20. A circular cap 25 covers the entire circular area of the ring, as extended across gap 18, and has a rim 26 which is joined to the top of outer cylindrical wall 21. Spaced vertically below cap 25 is a ceiling panel 27, in the form of a circular disc the peripheral portion 27' of which constitutes the upper wall of annular duct 11. The conveyor B operates in the flat circular chamber 28 defined between cover 25 and ceiling panel 27.

A frusto-conical ring 29 constitutes a bottom for annular duct 11, and slopes toward the inner cylindrical wall 22 to provide therewith a solvent collecting trough 30.

A solvent reservoir 31 is disposed within the central F chamber 12. The solvent collected in trough drains through apertures 32 in the inner cylindrical wall 22, into an annular collector tube 33, and from. tube 33 it is conveyed to reservoir 31 through a return tube 34.

Entry vestibule G is defined between two pairs of swinging doors 36 and 37 respectively. Doors 36' normally close inlet 19. An inner vestibule G is defined between doors 37 and a third pair of doors 38. Cleaning chamber F is defined between doors 38 and a fourth pair of doors 39. Drying chamber J is defined between doors 39 and a fifth pair of swinging doors 40, approximately 180 from doors 39. Disinfecting chamber K is defined between doors 40 arid a sixth pair of swinging doors 41 normally closing the outlet 20.

Through hinges 42, the doors are attached to the respective inner and outer lateral walls of duct 11. Hinge shafts 43 project upwardly through ceiling 27 and have arms 44 attached to their upper ends and normally projecting toward each other in aligned radial positions. Arms 44 are normally held against stop pins 45 in ceiling Wall 27, by means of springs 68 attached under tension between the arms 44 and ceiling 27'. In these positions of arms 44, the doors are closed.

In the closed positions, the doors, instead of lying in transverse radial planes, are so disposed that the planes I for circulating air through a flow of air to the conveyor.

extending between their respective hinges and meeting edges define a dihedral angle of considerable depth (e. g. 90). Accordingly, the movement of the meeting edges, as the doors swing open, is predominantly radial rather than circumferential so as to effect a rapid separation of the meeting edges to accommodate the passage of a hanger supported garment, with a minimum transfer of atmosphere between adjacent compartments. The direction of inclination of the doors from their hinges is in the direction of travel of the garment hangers, in order to minimize interference with the garment.

The swinging doors are successively opened by actuator means on the conveyor B, as will be described in detail in the next section of this specification.

Conveyor mechanism B in the conveyor mechanism B, best shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, the tubular conveyor arms 14 are attached to and driven by the hub 13 which, as shown in Fig 10, is secured to the tubular shaft 46 of a Geneva movement disc 47 for driving the conveyor. Shaft 46 is journalled in a bearing 48 secured to ceiling wall 27, and hub 13 has at its top a trunnion 49 which is journalled in a bearing 50 secured to cap 25. Hub 13 constitutes a multiple elbow or manifold with a series of lateral outlets 51 in each of which is secured one of the arms 14. In a bore in the center of Geneva disc 47 is received the upper end of an air delivery tube 52 which delivers a Y Geneva disc 47 has a series of peripheral notches53, one for each of the arms 14, and is driven by a driver 54 having a drive pin 55 adapted to engage in the notches 53 consecutively and advance the conveyor one step for each rotation of disc 54.

Adjacent their outer ends, arms 14 are supported for rolling movement upon ceiling wall 27, by means of collar-like rollers 58 encircling respective arms. Each roller 58 constitutes the outer race of a ball hearing or roller bearing unit (Figs. 4 and 5) of which the inner race is secured to a respective arm 14, anti-friction balls or rollers being interposed between the two races in a conventional manner so that roller 58 may rotate freely about its respective arm 14. The arms 14 terminate at their outer ends in elbows 59 extending downwardly through an annular slot 60 in the duct ceiling member 27 A cover ring 61 covers slot 60 and rotates with conveyor arms 1.4, the elbows 59 projecting downwardly through the cover ring 61 and being attached thereto. interposed between cover ring 61 and ceiling wall 27 is a bearing ring 62 of a hard, smooth plastic sheet material which reduces friction and wear between the cover ring 61 and ceiling wall 27'. Ring 62 is preferably attached to cover ring 61 and slides upon the upper surface of ceiling wall 27'.

Cover ring 61, in addition to its function of covering .slot 60, serves to tie together the ends of arms 14 in fixed, uniform circumferential spacing. It functions further as a cam ring for operating the door opening mechanism. To this end, the cover ring 61 has a series of widened portions defining, at the respective sides of the ring, cam dwells 63. Dwells 63 are adapted to engage the inner ends of door operating arms 44.

Garment hanger unit C Referring now to Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the garment hanger units C each incorporate the hollow cross head 15, having generally the contour of a conventional coat hanger and adapted to function as such. The cross head 15 also functions as a manifold for distribution of air to the perforated jet tubes 16 which depend therefrom. The lower ends of tubes 16 are closed so that the air forced into the tubes will be ejected laterally therefrom through perforations 71 therein. The cross head 15 has a neck 72 which (Fig. 6) is adapted to be coupled into the lower end of a conveyor elbow 59. Neck 72 has a square collar 73 which is provided at its four corners with rollers 74. Latch hooks 75 are pivoted at 76 to opposite sides of" each elbow 59, each hook 75 having a tail 77 which is normally inclined upwardly and outwardly. Latch hooks 75 are thusunbalanced so as to tend to move by gravity to' the positions shown in Fig. 6 in which they engage beneath collar 73 so as to latch the hanger C to the el bow 59.

With the hanger C thus latched to the ends of respective arms 14, they are adapted to be carried, in intermittent movements, through the inlet 19 into duct 11, thence successively through chambers G, G, F to initial drying station H and thence to the various stations within the long drying chamber J, thence to disinfecting chamber K and thence through outlet 20 to a discharge station where they are removed by unloading unit E. As a hanger approaches a particular pair of doors, 36, 37, etc.,"its associated cam dwell portion 63 of thecover ring 61 will engage the door operating arms 44 and swing them forwardly so as to swing the doors apart just beforethe hanger reaches them. The cam dwell elements 63 are of sufficient length to maintain the doors separated until the hanger has completely passed through the gap between the doors, whereupon the arms 44 are allowed to ride down off the cam dwells 63 under the pull of springs 68, thereby closing the doors.

Loading apparatus D The loading apparatus D, shown in Figs. 1 and 15, comprises a pair of track rails 81 forming part of a rack structure 82 and inclined downwardly and toward the loading station immediately in front of entry-way 19. The rail sections 81 are properly spaced to receive and support tli'e'rollers 74 of hanger units C. Their inclination is such that the hangers will roll by gravity toward the loading station. Registering with the lower. ends of rails 8.1 area pair of short rail sections 83 having laterally extending arm portions 83a which are pivoted at 84 to arms 85, pivotally suspended at 85a from the frame structure. Bell cranks 86, pivotally mounted at 86a on rack 82, have arms 86b extending downwardly parallel to arms 85 and pivoted to arms 83a at 89. A parallelogram arrangement, supporting rail sections 83 for swinging movement while remaining level, is thus provided. A pneumatic or hydraulic servomotor 87 has a piston rod' 88 which is linked to bell crank 86 so that when actuated, crank 86 will be swung upwardly and into gap 18 to elevate rail sections 83, thus carrying into coupling engagement with an elbow 59, a hanger C which is supported thereon. As the hanger is thus elevated, collar 73 thereof will engage the bevelled lower ends of latch books 75 and will spread them sufliciently to allow the hooks to engage beneath the collar 73 as the neck 72 couples with elbow 59. Attached to the forward ends of rails 81 are leaf spring stops 90 (Fig. 1) adapted when rail sections 83move' away, to spring into positions holding back the "series of hanger units C resting on rails 81, while the rail sections '83 are being'elevated' When the rail sections 83 return to their lowered positions shown in Fig. 16,'they will engage stops 90 and spread them, so that the line of hangers supported on rails 81-will advance until the lowermost hanger is resting upon rail sections 83, ready for the next elevating operation. Unloadingfztnit Y Referring now to Figs. 1 and 4, the unloading unit E embodies a rack 82 having a pair of rails 81 and a servounit 87 having a piston rod 88', these parts corresponding generally to the similarly numbered parts of the unloading unit, with the exception that the rails 81 are inclined downwardly and outwardly rather than downwardly and inwardly as in the case of the loading unit. Linked to piston-rod 88 -is a yoke 91 having a pair of spaced arms terns forward ends of which are-secured the sidearr'hs o'f'a vertical yoke 92. Yoke 91 slides upon a forward end cross member 93 of rack 82, and yoke 92 slides upon forward extension of rails 81. Secured to and projecting 'rotated in opposite directions.

forwardly from yoke 92 are a pair of extensionrail sections 82' upon which the rollers 74 are adapted to drop when the hanger C is released from elbow 59.

Release of latch hooks is effected by means of a pair of'tongs 94 which are pivoted at 95 to the forward ends of the arms of yoke 91. Tongs 94 have short arms projecting rearwardly from pivots 95 and pivoted at 96 to toggle links 97 which in turn are pivoted at 98 to cross frame member 93. As yoke 91 is pushed forwardly by piston rod 88, the pull of toggle links 97 against the rear arms of tongs 94 causes the latter to be moved toward each other into engagement with the tail portions 77 of latch hooks 75,spreading the latch hooks 75 so as to release collar 73 and allow the hanger C to drop until rollers 74 engage extension rail section 83', whereupon the hanger C will roll down the inclined rail sections 83' onto rails 81'. This movement is assisted by the return movement of piston rod 88', drawing yokes 91 and 92 and rail sections 83' outwardly.

The unloaded hangers C will collect in the unloading rack as indicated in Fig. 1.

At this point it may be noted that the invention contemplates the employment of suitable coordinating control mechanism for effecting automatic actuation of servomotors 87 and 87' in timed relation to the intermittent movements of conveyor unit B, so that all that is required of the'customer is to place the garments on hangers at the loading station and to remove them from the hangers which are delivered at the unloading station.

Spraying apparatus Referring now to Figs. 2, 3, 11 and 12, the spraying apparatus includes two pairs of spray heads 101, 101 mounted in spray chamber F for vertical reciprocating movements so as to completely cover the area of a garment to be cleaned with sprayed jets of cleaning solvent. Each spray head 101, 101 has a series of spray nozzles 102 directed horizontally toward the position occupied by a hanger C when arrested within spray chamber F. Spray heads 101, 101' include integral fittings 103 by means of which they are attached to the upper and lower ends respectively of a connecting tube. 104. Each tube 104 has a fitting 105 by means of which itis connected to the upper end of a respective flexible solvent conducting tube 106. The lower ends of tubes 106 are connected toa fitting 107 in housing wall 22, to which asupply tube 108 leads from reservoir 31. Extending into the reservoir, tube 108 is connected to the outlet of a pump 109 for pumping solvent under pressure to the spray heads 101, 101'. I

Each spray head 101 (Fig. 12) has an integral slide block llllwhich is slidably mounted in a vertical channel 111 attached to a respective wall 22 or 21, as the case may be. Attached to the slide blocks are the respective ends of a cable 112 which is trained around pulleys 113, 114 adjacent the respective upper. andlowcr extremities of the vertical path in which the spray heads 101, 101 are to travel. The lower pulleys 114 are connected by a shaft 115 which transmits drive from the inner spray unit to the outer spray unit. Drive is transmitted to'the upper pulley 113 of the inner spray unit by a shaft 11 6 journalled in bearings 117, 118"respectively, the bearing 117 being attached to housing wall 22 and the bearing 118 forming part of a gear reduction unit 119 which is driven by a motor 120. Attached to shaft 116 is a bevel pinion 121. A pair of gearsegments 122, 123 are both attached to the driven shaft of reduction gear unit 119 and are positioned to alternately engage pinion 121, as indicated. As the gear segments 122, 123 alternately engage pinion 121, shaft 116 will be alternately "The extent of rotation thus imparted is sufiicient to move the spray heads 101, 101' between the upper and lower limits 'of movement, and the movements which are imparted to the spray head units are vertical reciprocating movements.

Geneva movement drive disc 54 is attached to the upper gear segment 123.

Air circulating and solvent recovery mechanism Referring now to Figs. 2, 3, 9 and 10, the invention provides a pair of annular ducts 131, 132 attached to the inner wall of housing wall members 22. Apertures 133, 133 in wall member 22 provide communication between ducts 131, 132 and the main housing duct 11.-

Air is circulated by a blower 135, driven by a motor 136, the discharge outlet of the blower communicating with a port 137 in the side of a horizontal delivery duct 138 (Fig. One end of duct 138 has, in the top wall thereof, a port 139 which communicates with the lower end of delivery tube 52 leading up to conveyor B. The other end of duct 138 communicates with annular duct 131. The inlet of blower communicates directly with a port 141 in the top wall of casing 140. Duct 138 and blower 135 are supported on top of the casing of a solvent recovery unit I. Reduction gear 119 and motor 120 are supported on .a bracket 134 attached to the side of duct 138.

A return duct 143 (Fig. 9) directly below delivery duct 138, communicates at one end with annular duct 132 and at its other end with an inlet port 142 in the lower corner of casing 140 remote from outlet port 141. Between ports 142 and 141, the interior of casing 140 is divided by bafiles 144, 145 into three chambers 146, 147 and 148, interconnected to form a tortuous passageway through the recovery unit I. In chamber 146 is a cooling coil 149 in a series of undulations. In chambers 147 and 148 is a heating coil 152, likewise in a series of undulations. Suitable refrigerating and heating units (not shown) for circulating cooling and heating fluid through the coils 149 and 152, are employed.

Cooling coil 149 functions to condense solvent vapors, from air returning from conduit 132, the condensed solvent collecting in a sump 150 at the bottom of chamber 146 and draining back to reservoir 31 through a tube 151. Heating coil 152 reheats the dried air from which the solvent has been extracted, thus preparing it for a new stage of drying operation when delivered back to the drying chamber J.

In the operation of the air circulating and solvent recovery apparatus, blower 135 draws dried air from chamber 14S and delivers it into duct 138 from which a portion of the air is delivered through tube 52 into the tubula'r arms 14 of conveyor B, the remaining'portion being delivered into annular duct 131 from which it passes through apertures 133 into drying chamber J.

The air which is circulated through conveyo r arms 14 is delivered downwardly into the hanger units C which are traveling in drying chamber J. From nozzles 16 of the hanger units, the air is projected in fine jets through the apertures 71 into the garments supported upon the hanger units.

The air which is delivered into drying chamber I through annular duct 131 circulates down- ,wardly to ports 133 through which it is drawn back into annular duct 132. As this air circulates in drying chamber I, it carries away the solvent vapors which have been ejected from the garments on hangers C by the air jets issuing from hanger nozzles 16.

Inorder to restrict the delivery of air through arms '14 to those arms which are in communication with drying chamber 1, the invention provides for each arm 14 a butterfly valve 155. Each valve 155 is mounted upon a pivot shaft 156 extending vertically through the respective arm 14 and journalled therein. To the lower end of shaft 156 is secured a valve actuating cam 157 of generally triangular shape, having diverging side edges adapted consecutively to engage actuator piris 158, 159. Pins 158, 159 are mounted in ceiling 27 and project upwardly into the paths of the respective. side edges of the cams 157. Engagement with cam pin 158 serves to rotate a valve 155 clockwise, as viewed from above, thereby opening the, valve at the initial drying station H, and commencing the operation of the hanger air jets at this station.

Pin 159 engages the other side of a cam 157 to rotate the respective valve back to its closed position at the last station of drying chamber I, thus cutting off the flow through the respective tubular arm 14 until it has travelled back to the initial drying station in its next round of movement.

Fig. 14 indicates the initial engagement of pin 159'by cam 157 just before reaching the last station of drying chamber 1. It will be apparent that as the arm 14 continues its movement in the direction indicated by the fullline arrow, the pin 159 will exert a camming action against cam 157 to swing it counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 14, thus closing the valve, as indicated by the dotted arrow.

Miscellaneous features Heating units 161 are located at the initial drying station H. They may consist in two batteries of infra-red lamps arranged vertically on walls 21 and 22 respectively, in radially opposed relation on a radial axis at the center of station H. By their heating action, they vaporize the solvent with which the garments are saturated after leaving spray chamber F, whereby the solvent may be rapidly driven out of the garment by the air jets issuing from hanger nozzles 16.

In the succeeding stations in drying chamber I, the vestiges of solvent fumes are drawn away from the garment and into annular duct 132. At this point it may be noted that the series of ports 133, 133' in ducts 131 and 132 are substantially coextensive, circumferentially, with drying chamber I so that the downward circulation of air between the two annular ducts 131 and 142 will occur throughout the length of the drying chamber. In the disinfecting chamber K, a pair of batteries of ultraviolet lamps 162 are supported upon walls 21, 22 in opposed relation, in positions to concentrate their rays upon a garment at rest in the disinfecting chamber K.

Coordinating control and operation As previously stated, the invention contemplates the use of coordinating control mechanism for bringing into operation, in proper sequence, the several units of the apparatus. Since known conventional control systems may be utilized for this purpose, I have not attempted to illustrate or describe the same herein, except to indicate the general nature and plan thereof. 1

The primary basis of control is the intermittent actu' ation of conveyor B. Such intermittent actuation, in the apparatus as shown, is accomplished mechanically through the Geneva movement 54, 47, the motor 12.0 operating continuously to maintain a drive. through shaft 116 to the spray head reciprocating mechanism during the rest periods of the conveyor B; and while intermittently driving conveyor 8. Accordingly, the operation of the apparatus may be controlled simply by a starting switch 165 in a power supply circuit going from a source of electric power, indicated at P, to the motor 120 as indicated in Fig. 2. I v

With motor 120 operating continuously, Geneva driver 54 will be rotated slowly through the reduction gearing 119. Each complete rotation of driver 54v will determine one full cycle of operation in which conveyor 2; Thus the rest periods are approximately three times as long as the periods of advancing movement.

The shaft 116 will'rotate continuously as long as motor 120 is energized, effecting vertical reciprocating movement of spray heads 101, 101 as previously described. During the rest periods, each successive hanger C with its garment supported thereon, as it is arrested in spray chamber F, will be thoroughly sprayed with solvent pumped by pump 109 through lines 108, 106 to the spray heads. At the same time, a preceding hanger, with its garment supported thereon, will be subjected to the action of infra-red lamps 161 to vaporize the solvent with which the garment is saturated, while air is blown through the garment by the jets issuing from nozzles 16. This will effect a rapid removal of solvent from the garment at the initial drying station H. 'At the same time, preceding hangerswith their garments supported thereon will be undergoing the further stages of drying in chamber J, and the garment at station K will. be undergoing a disinfecting treatment. Simultaneously, a hanger at the unloading station will be undergoing an unloading operation in which it is being transferred to rack E, and a hangerifrom' loading rack D will be subjected to a loading operation in which it is attached to the elbow 59 at that station.

For initiating the operation of loading unit D, a starting switch 170 (Fig. 1) mounted on ceiling member 27 'andpositioned for actuation by one of the cam dwells :63, may be utilized. Conventional limit switch mechanism (not shown) may be utilized for stopping the operation of the loading unit D when completed, and for resetting control mechanism of this unit for the next operation. Sincecontrol systems of this typeare well known 'I have not attempted to illustrate the same.

L "Similarly, the operation of loading unit E may be initiated 'by switch 170 or a similar switch, and suitable conventional control mechanism may be utilized for arresting the operation of loading unit B when completed, and resetting it for the next operation.

The travel of a garment laden hanger through the apparatus, is as follows: At the loading station D the hanger is delivered from rack 82 to its first position in gap 18 in the annular housing A and is attached to the end of an arm 14 at that station (Fig. 1).

Upon'the next advancement of the conveyor B, the hanger approaches the doors 36, which swing apart to allow it to pass into vestibule G, and then close behind it, while thus substantially preventing any escape of fumes from vestibule G. lnits second position the hanger is arrested midway between doors 37, extending partially into. each of the vestibules G and G and with doors 37 standing'open, as shown in Fig. 2. v

In the next step of operation, the hanger approaches doors 38, whichswing apartto' allow it to pass into spray chamber F. and reclose behind the hanger. The hanger isnow' in its third position, in spray chamber F, centered betwee'n thespray heads 101, 101 asindicated in Fig. 2.

:I'hroughont' its restperio'd' in' the spray chamber, the

garment is subjected to the sprays from vertically recipro- -eating nozzles 102, effecting the cleaning action.

Ij In the next step of operation, the."hangei'"approaches :door's'38 which swing apart and close behind it, allowing it to pass to the initial drying station H, where it again stops. The garment .hanger is now subjected to the drying action of heater lamps 161 and air jets from nozzle 16, quickly removing the solvent with which the garment is saturated. The vapors forced out of the garment aresweptinto annular duct 132 by the air circulating beil'tweenthetwoannularductsf131,132... I In the next step of operatiom the-hanger moves on to its. .fifth station in which fthe removal of vestiges of solvent vapors is continued by the downwardly circulating air in .drying chamber J. This removal of remaining solvent vapors is progresssively continued at the sixth,

. 10 seventh and'eighth stations in drying chamber I,'in' the next three steps of operation. j I

In the next step of operation, the hanger approaches doors 40, which swing apart and close behind it, allow ing it to pass into the disinfecting chamber K, where it is arrested between ultra-violet lamps 162. At this posi tion the garment is disinfected as previously described.

In the next step of operation, the garment approaches outlet doors 41, which swing apart to allow it to pass through outlet 20 back into the gap 18 to the unloading station, where it is again arrested. The unloading unit B then goes into operation, the yoke 91 being advanced toward the hanger which has just left the outlet 20, and the tongs 94 gradually moving toward each other as the yoke 91 is advanced, until'they engage the latches and release them to permit the hanger to drop onto rail sections 83'. The hanger is then drawn out of gap 18 and deposited on rails 81 on which it travels by gravity down to the outer end of rack 82', ready to be removed by the customer.

We claim:

1. In a dry cleaning apparatus, a housing including radially spaced segmentally cylindrical vertical wall members defining an annular duct of split ring form having adjacent inlet and outlet ends; a series of pairs of swing ing doors dividing said duct into a series of chambers including a relatively short spray chamber and a relatively long drying chamber; said housing further including a cap closing the top of said duct and providing thereabove a circumferentially continuous conveyor space a rotating overhead conveyor having a series of radial arms with terminal portions in said space and projecting downwardly into the upper region of said annular duct, said terminal portions being adapted to support a series of garment hangers.

2. In a dry cleaning apparatus, a housing including radially spaced segmentally cylindrical vertical wall members defining an annular duct of split ring form having adjacent inlet and outlet ends; a series of pairs of swinging doors dividing said duct into a series of chambers including a relatively short spray chamber and a relatively long drying chamber; said housing further including a cap closing thetop of said duct and providing thereabove a circumferentially continuous conveyor space a rotating overhead conveyor having a series of radial arms with terminal portions within said space and projecting downwardly into the upper region of said annular duct, said terminal portions being adapted tosupport a series of garment hangers; means for intermittently rotating said conveyor through ,a series of movements each constituting a fraction of'a complete rotation and arresting the conveyor so that each hanger successively stops ateach ofa series [of 'stations'in said annular duct, 'including a stationwithin said spray chamber; solvent spraying means for cleaning a garment in the spray chambergand meansfor drying the garments in the drying chamber. I j

3.-In a dry cleaning apparatus, a housing including radially spaced segmentally'cylindrical vertical wall members defining an annular duct of split ringform having adjacent inlet and outlet ends; a series of pairs of swinging doors dividing said duct into a series of chambers' ineluding a relatively short sprayTcham ber and fa relatively long'drying chamber; said housing furtherfinclud'i'rig a cap closing the top of said duct and providing thereabove a circumferentially continuous conveyor space a rotating overhead conveyor having a series of radial arms with terminal portions in said space and projecting downwardly into the upper region of said annular duct, said terminal portions being adpatedto support a series of garment a solvent pr -5 9. f r e n ng aiga'r h in thespra'ychamber; and rnean's for'drying thegarm tjs in thedryi'ng chamber'; said arms being tubular and being adapted to discharge air upon the garments carried-by said hangers for accelerating the drying thereof, said dryingmeans including a blower for forcing air through said tubular arms.

4. In a dry cleaning apparatus, a housing including radially spaced segmentally cylindrical vertical wall members defining an annular duct of split ring form having adjacent inlet and outlet ends; a series of pairs of swinging doors dividing said duct into a series of chambers including a relatively short spray chamber and a relatively long drying chamber; said housing further including a cap sealed to the outer vertical wall member, closing the top of said duct and providing thereabove a circumferentially continuous conveyor space, and a bottom member at least a portion of which provides a solvent collecting trough as the bottom of said spray chamber; a rotating overhead conveyor having a series of tubular radialarms with terminal elbows in said conveyor space and extending downwardly into the upper region of said annular duct; a series of hollow garment hangers each having a neck for cou pling to an elbow and having nozzle means for delivering air jets inside a garment supported on the hanger; solvent spraying means for cleaning the garment in said spray chamber; and means for delivering air through said tubular arms to the hangers which are disposed in said drying chamber.

5. In a dry cleaning apparatus, a housing including radially spaced segmentally cylindrical vertical wall members defining an annular duct of split ring form having adjacent inlet and outlet ends; a series of pairs of swinging doors dividing said duct into a series of chambers including a relatively short spray chamber and a relatively long drying chamber; said housing further including a cap sealed to the outer vertical wall member, closing the top of said duct and providing thereabove a circumferentially continuous conveyor space, and a bottom member at least a portion of which provides a solvent collecting trough as the bottom of said spray chamber; a rotating overhead'conveyor having a series of tubular radial arms with terminal elbows partially in said conveyor space and extending downwardly into the upper region of said annular duct; a series of hollow garment hangers each having a neck for coupling to an elbow and having nozzle means for delivering air jets inside a garment supported on the hanger; solvent spraying means for cleaning the garment in said spray chamber; said conveyor having a hollow hub to which all of said arms are connected; a blower having a discharge connection to said hollow hub for delivering air to said arms; valve means in said arms for controlling air fiow therethrough; actuators connected to said valves; and fixed actuator elements for engaging said actuators during rotation of the conveyor, for opening the valves of only the arms in communication with said drying chamber.

6. In a dry cleaning apparatus, a housing including radially spaced segmentally cylindrical vertical wall members defining an annular duct having adjacent inlet and outlet ends; a series of pairs of swinging doors dividing said duct into a series of chambers including a relatively short spray chamber and a relatively long drying chamher; said housing further including a cap sealed to the outer vertical wall member, closing the top of said duct and providing thereabove a circumferentially continuous conveyor space, and a bottom member at least a portion of which provides a solvent collecting trough as the bottom of said spray chamber; a rotating overhead conveyor having a series of tubular radial arms with terminal elbows in said conveyor space and extending downwardly into the upper region of said annular duct; a series of hollow garment hangers each having a neck for coupling to an elbow and having nozzle means for delivering air jets inside a garment supported on the hanger; means for circulating air through said tubular arms to said nozzle means; solvent spraying means for cleaning the garment in said spray chamber; and means for circulating air in said drying chamber to remove vapors dispersed from a garment by said air jets.

7. In a dry cleaning apparatus, a housing including radially spaced segmentally cylindrical vertical wall members defining an annular duct having adjacent inlet and outlet ends; a series of pairs of swinging doors dividing said duct into a series of chambers including a relatively short spray chamber and a relatively long drying chamher; said housing further including a cap sealed to the outer vertical wall member, closing the top of said duct and providing thereabove a circumferentially continuous conveyor space, and a bottom member at least a portion of which provides a solvent collecting trough as the bottom of said spray chamber; a rotating overhead conveyor having a series of tubular radial arms with terminal elbows partially in said conveyor space and extending downwardly into the upper region of said annular duct; a series of hollow garment hangers each having a neck for coupling to an elbow and having nozzle means for delivering air jets inside a garment supported on the hanger; means for circulating air through said tubular arms to said nozzle means; solvent spraying means for cleaning the garment in said spray chamber; and means for circulating air in said drying chamber to remove vapors dispersed from a garment by said air jets; said last means including upper and lower annular conduits communicating with said annular duct through the inner wall thereof at a series of circumferentially spaced points, one of said conduits delivering air into said annular duct and the other withdrawing air from said annular duct.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein each hanger has a square collar at the neck thereof; rollers at the respective corners of said collars; latches on the elbow, engageable with said collar to attach the hanger to the elbow; and track means for conveying a series of hangers to and from said conveyor, said rollers travelling on said track means.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein each hanger has a square collar at the neck thereof; rollers at the respective corners of said collars; latches on the elbow, engageable with said collar to attach the hanger to the elbow; and a loading unit including means to elevate a hanger into coupling and latching engagement with an elbow and its respective latches, and track means for conveying a series of hangers to and from said conveyor, said rollers travelling on said track means.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein each hanger has a square collar at the neck thereof; rollers at the respective corners of said collars; latches on the elbow, engageable with said collar to attach the hanger to the elbow; and an unloading unit including a pair of tongs to engage said latches so as to release the hanger therefrom; said unloading means including tracks on which said rollers may travel so as to remove the hangers away from the periphery of the conveyor.

11. In a spraying and drying apparatus, a housing including radially spaced segmentally cylindrical vertical wall members defining an annular duct having adjacent inlet and outlet ends; a series of pairs of swinging doors dividing said duct into a series of chambers including a relatively short spray chamber and a relatively long drying chamber; said housing further including a cap sealed to the outer vertical wall members, closing the top of said duct and providing thereabove a circumferentially continuous conveyor space, and a bottom member at least a portion of which provides a solvent collecting trough as the bottom of said spray chamber; a rotating overhead conveyor having a series of circumferentially spaced means in said conveyor space for supporting article hangers within said duct; spray means for spraying an article in the spray chamber; means for drying the article in the drying chamber; and means for supporting a series of loaded hangers at the duct inlet and for automatically delivering said hangers one at a time to said spaced hanger supporting means of the conveyor, in response to movement of said supporting means past said inlet.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 11, including intermittent drive means for alternately advancing said conveyor through a fraction of a circumference and then 13 arresting the conveyor so that each hanger successively stops at a series of stations in said annular duct, said spray chamber being one of said stations.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein said spraying means includes spray heads disposed in radially opposed relation at inner and outer sides of said spray chamber; slide means on which said heads are mounted for vertically reciprocating movement; and means for reciprocating said heads vertically.

14. Apparatus as defined in claim 13, said last means comprising cables attached to said spray heads; vertically spaced pulleys over which said cables are trained, and means for rotating one of said pulleys alternately in one direction and then the other.

15. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said housing includes a ceiling member having an annular slot through which said terminal portions project downwardly into said annular duct; and including a cover ring attached to and rotating with said terminal arm portions and covering said slot.

16. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said housing includes a ceiling member having an annular slot through which said terminal portions project downwardly into said annular duct; and including a cover ring attached to and rotating with said terminal arm portions and covering said slot; cam dwells on the respective edges of said cover ring; and arms attached to said doors and operated by said cam dwells for opening the doors in timed relation to the movements of the hangers in said annular duct.

17. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said housing includes means defining a circular slot between the top of said duct and said conveyor space, through which said elbowsproject; a closure ring covering said slot, and moving with said conveyor, said elbows extending through said closure ring; cams on said closure ring, and crank levers attached to said swinging doors and associated with said closure ring so as to be actuated by said cams in a manner to open said doors in timed sequence such as to allow passage of the garment laden hangers into and out of the respective chambers without interference.

18. In a dry cleaning apparatus: a housing including a radially spaced segmentally cylindrical vertical wall members defining an annular duct of split ring form having adjacent inlet and outlet ends; a series of pairs of swinging doors dividing said duct into a series of separate chambers including a relatively short spray chamber and a relatively long drying chamber; said housing further including a cap sealed to the outer vertical Wall member, closing the top of said duct and providing thereabove a circumferentially continuous conveyor space; a rotating overhead conveyor having a series of tubular radial arms with terminal elbows in the outer area of said conveyor space and projecting downwardly into the upper region of said annular duct, said elbows having means to releasably support a series of garment hangers; means for intermittently rotating said conveyor through a series of movements each constituting a fraction of a complete rotation and for arresting the conveyor so that each hanger successively stops at each of a series of stations in said annular duct, including a station within said spray chamber; a valve in each of said tubular arms for controlling the flow of air therethrough; a tubular hub to which the inner ends of the respective arms are attached in air transmitting communication therewith, said hub constituting a connection for distributing air from a blower to the respec tive tubular arms; means for automatically operating said valves in response to rotation of said conveyor so as to open the valves only in the arms which deliver air to said drying chamber; and air discharge nozzles carried by and projecting downwardly from said elbows, for blowing air inside the garments carried by said hangers.

19. In a dry cleaning apparatus: a housing including radially spaced segmentally cylindrical vertical wall members defining an annular duct of split ring form having adjacent inlet and outlet ends; a series of pairs of swinging doors dividing said duct into a series of separate chambers including a relatively short spray chamber and a relatively long drying chamber; said housing further including a cap scaled to the outer vertical wall member, closing the top of said duct and providing thereabove a circumferentially continuous conveyor space; and said housing further including a ceiling member separating said conveyor space from the top of said annular duct and having therein a circular slot concentric with said annular duct; a rotating overhead conveyor including a hollow hub and a series of tubular radial arm-s attached at their inner ends to said hub and communicating with the interior thereof, said arms having at their outer ends elbow portions projecting downwardly through said slots into the upper region of said annular duct, said elbow portion-s being provided with means to releasably support respective garment hangers and including air discharge nozzles projecting downwardly into the spaces within garments supported on said hangers and adapted to deliver air jets outwardly into said garments; supporting rollers attached to the respective conveyor arms and travelling upon said ceiling member for supporting the outer portions of said arms for circumferential travelling movement; means for intermittently driving said conveyor through said hub in a series of movement-s each constituting a fraction of a complete rotation and for arresting the conveyor so that each hanger successively stops at each of a series of stations in said annular duct, including a station within said spray chamber; a blower connection communicating with said hub for delivering air through said hub into said conveyor arms; valves in the respective conveyor arms for controlling the flow of air therethrough; each valve having an actuator member projecting externally of the respective conveyor arm; and a plurality of actuator means carried by said housing in fixed positions such as to be engaged by said valve actuators in the path of travel thereof so as to open said valves for the arms that lead to the nozzles in the drying chamber and to close all remaining arms.

20. Apparatus as defined in claim 19, wherein said housing includes a bottom at least a portion of which constitutes a trough at the bottom of said spray chamber, for collecting solvent discharged in said spray chamber, for return to a reservoir.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,092,976 Cilley Apr. 14, 1914 1,763,193 Shields June 10, 1930 1,893,398 Chamberlin Jan. 3, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS 512,398 Germany Nov. 21, 1930 849,920 France Dec. 5, 1939 579,461 Great Britain Aug. 6, 1946 

